Controversy over Disclosure by Former Driver of Mr. Choi

President Kim`s third son Hong-Kol (39 years old) has allegedly received a great amount of cash frequently through his brother-in-law Mr. Hwang (businessman) from the CEO of Future City Environment Inc. Choi Kyu-Sun (who is 42 years old).

Mr. Choi involved in procuring an office of Mr. Hwang in Kangnam, Seoul, and Hong-Kol is also known to have visited the office.

Former driver and secretary of Mr.Choi, Cheon Ho-Young (37 years old), met with our paper`s reporter before appearing to the prosecution office on April 10, and claimed, “Mr. Hwang frequently dropped in the office of Future City Environment located in Yeoksam-Dong Kangnam-Gu Seoul last year and fetched a great amount of cash in shopping bags.”

Mr. Cheon explained, “Mr. Choi have kept large traveler`s bags made of fabrics in the office with cashes in them, and Mr. Hwang has taken some money from those bags.”

According to Mr. Cheon, Mr. Hwang rented an office in the fourth floor of N building at the crossroad near Kangnam subway station in Seoul through Mr. Choi on September 2000 and used the office for seven months, and Kim Hong-Kol and Mr. Choi frequented that office. Mr. Cheon claimed, “I have once went to the office myself, and received registered seal impressions and related documents of three persons of pseudonym accounts from Mr. Hwang and relayed them to Mr. Choi, which were used for the purpose of stock holdings of Hong-Kol.”

Mr. Choi also said in a recent meeting with reporters, “Hong-Kol expressed discontent on early July last year when a rumor of influence peddling via the office spread out.”

Mr. Choi also said in a press conference on April 9, “I discussed the matter with chairman of S construction company, Mr. Shon, who was a owner of the building when Hong-Kol upbraided me, saying that a certain investigative officer asked him whether he was involved in cash dealings in the office of N building.”

Mr. Cheon recently disclosed a copy of recorded dialogue between Mr. Choi and Mr. Shon, in that Hong-Kol is mentioned as dropping by the office and money dealings taking place between Hong-Kol and either Mr. Shon or Mr. Choi.

In other hand, a related person in the Civilian Affairs Secretary of the Blue House said on April 10, “I have heard that Mr. Hwang helped Hong-Kol`s business, but I do not know what kind of relationship Mr. Hwang and Mr. Choi have developed." He added, "Mr.Choi`s thinking and actions are not normal, and his words should not be trusted as face value.”

Lee gun43@donga.com · Myoung-Gun mhpark@donga.com